Stringed instrument users spend many hours playing their instrument. The playing of stringed instruments is very intense, and requires a lot of time holding and using the instrument. The areas of the instrument that require the most maintenance are the strings and fingerboard. It is very desirable to keep these areas as clean as possible, as much as possible. It is an ultimate goal to keep the instrument in prime playing condition. Such strings are known to be prone to a rapid build up of dirt and sweat both on the top of the strings where the fingers actually touch them but, more especially, underneath the strings. Further, rosin accumulates from the bow and must be regularly removed. The dirt derives not only from particles carried to the strings by the player's fingers but also from particles that are worn off from the fingerboard during playing. The primary effects of this string contamination are to cause the string to rapidly lose its tone becoming less bright and “flat” sounding over a typical timescale of a few hours and to corrode eventually leading to the need for string replacement. A corroded metal string is also more abrasive than a new string so increasing the rate of wear of the frets by the strings.
Time is the factor between how many times a person will clean their stringed instruments strings and fingerboard. It is usually done between string changes or in an unsatisfactory way while the strings are on the instrument. A method to do it very quick and efficient while the strings are in place on the instrument is desirable.